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Welcome to the Saturday edition of the Book Reading and Interview and today my guest is Richard Ankers, author of the two books so far in the Cyberpunk, Science Fiction TheEternal Series.

Please leave your own questions for Richard in the comments section of the post and he will respond to you over the next few days.

First the official background for Richard Ankers.

Richard M. Ankers was born a dreamer. From an early age, if Richard was not out in the fresh air playing sports, he was lost inside a good book or secretly writing his own. A lover of everything from Marvel comics to classic Fantasy and Science Fiction, he allowed his mind to wander to these fantastical places and never quite came back. Heavily influenced by authors ranging from Michael Moorcock and Gene Wolfe to such wonders as Haruki Murakami and Margaret Atwood, Richard enjoyed being entertained, whisked away to places unknown. Every book had something to offer, snippets of the unimaginable, twists of fate and spectacular universes and Richard soaked them up like a sponge. These were the makings of his mind.

When Richard is not tapping out stories on his laptop, or adding poetry and writing to his own website, which he nearly always is, you’ll find him running and taking in the scenery. Running has offered a sense of peace and relaxation only ever matched by writing. A lover of the great outdoors, he is lucky enough to have visited many of the world’s most beautiful countries such as Norway and Switzerland both of which he could happily have never left. If he could sit with a view of the mountains with a river flowing by and birdsong, a quiet corner set aside in which to write with a view of the former, you’d probably never see Richard again.

Books by Richard Ankers

About the Eternals

The Eternals, neither human nor vampire, are the last inhabitants of a dying Earth.

In the face of a slowly perishing sun, some have accepted their fate while others are ready to fight for their future. It is to this ultimatum that Jean, the last Eternal lord, is born.

Jean’s life changes drastically after his bite takes the life of Princess Chantelle of The New Europa Alliance. Suddenly, he’s a man on the run, falling in love and rediscovering his humanity.

With the sun’s clock ticking, Jean stumbles from manipulated mishap into age-old conspiracies and beyond, as he tries to reconcile his sordid past.

Jean is a charming, erudite bloodsucker. He inhabits a world ruled by vampires. He engages the reader on page one, drawing us into his world. He is amusing and clever, a gentleman who happens to be a vampire. The writing is as elegant as he is.

His is an intriguing world, one in which the reader immediately feels a part of. I kept imagining the novel as a film, seeing the characters interact with one another. It was that well-written.

I understand it is the first in a trilogy and I’m glad about that because I’m looking forward to more of this.

Good novel, great writing, highly original with stand out characters. Loved it.

This was truly a book I found hard to put down. Having read the first in the series, I wasn’t sure if the sequel would be able to match the tension and excitement created by the author in The Eternals. In fact, Mr. Ankers exceeded all expectations with this breathtaking, pulsating follow up to his initial work. Accompanied by the almost ethereal Nordic Princess Aurora, Jean, the stoic, attitude laden Eternal sets out on a quest to try and discover just who is trying to manipulate his life, and why.

The surprises come thick and fast in a true roller-coaster of an adventure that left me breathless at times, eager to turn to the next page to see what would happen next. Jean’s old friend/Nemesis, Merryweather makes an appearance with Jean still unable to decide just whose side he is on and yet again the mysterious monks, the Sunyins have a part to play. In a world teetering on the edge of annihilation, Jean makes uncomfortable discoveries about his past as he attempts to shape the future of his dying world. Another triumph for the author with an ending that leads perfect into the third book in the series. I can’t wait!

Now it is time to welcome Richard to the bookstore and get on with the book reading and interview.

Richard has chosen an extract from Into Eternity (Book 3 In The Eternals Series) due to be released shortly.

This is from the book’s opening scene:

“Why do your hands tremble so?”

I heard the words, plucked them from an intangible distance.

“Jean.”

It could have been me, the name sounded familiar.

“Jean.”

Like an island lost in a sea fog, I remained remote.

“Jean, you are shaking. You’re scaring me.”

That felt wrong. The girl who owned that ice-cool voice feared nothing, or so I recalled.

“Take my hand,” she said.

Sweeter than any angel, her words mingled with the stinging winds that swept through the chamber. With a vacuum of kindness, she sought to cleanse my mind. But my mind, as ever, remained beyond such aid.

“Jean. Look at me, Jean!” a command, not a request.

I opened heavy eyes to the letter clenched in my left hand and the balled fist of my right. The slender, delicate fingers of an alabaster hand interlaced and unlocked mine offering a strength alone I lacked. A second raised me by the chin, a most delicate ascension, and there she stood. Aurora took me in with those sapphire eyes. How I longed for them to shine green.

Thank you for joining us Richard and can you tell us what genre do you read and your favourite authors?

I read everything from the Classics to Sci-Fi, but would say Fantasy is my most read genre. I prefer a certain style of writing rather than the topic or genre itself. The author’s words must soothe my soul. I know that sounds dramatic but it’s true. My favourite authors are Michael Moorcock, Haruki Murakami and Gene Wolfe.

What appeals to you about writing short stories?

This might sound flippant, but I promise you it isn’t meant to. I like writing short stories because they’re short. I think a short story allows a writer to get something out of their head and onto paper without it crucifying them. When I write a long story, I become obsessed with every detail. You don’t get chance to with a short one, and so they become quite a relief in many ways.

Is there any invention that is a major part of our lives that you wish had not been invented?

Cars. I spent twenty years driving a long way every day. I could quite happily never see a car again in my life. They pollute, make us lazy and it often feels like there’s more of them than there is of us! And no, I’m not a hypocrite because I now don’t own one.

What are your plans for 2017 for your books and blog?

In an ideal world it would be to not have to blog at all. I am prolific in output and just feel that if I could write without the distractions of self-promotion (I am inherently shy and private. I don’t find it easy) I could do so much more. As it is, the books now come first and I feel better for it. I hope it shines through in the writing.

You write excellent 50 word stories. Most of us find writing short stories of 1000 + words daunting. What are the key elements to writing a story of this length?

It’s hard to say, but there are a few tricks. Firstly, write about anything that takes your fancy and in any style. Always bear in mind to keep it short, but DON’T write to the 50 limit. When you’ve finished writing, then edit it down. Remember, adding apostrophes (ie would have – would’ve / I am – I’m) can quickly trim your story. Also, read your story whilst removing words, or even sentences, that might be unnecessary and see if it still works. These tricks soon shorten an already short story.

You are a runner and love the outdoors. You mention that you have travelled to some beautiful parts of the world and that you might just find such an idyllic spot we might not see you again. Can you describe what that perfect spot might look like?

That’s easy. There’d be mountains, lots of mountains, clean air, great views, quiet and either a river or a lake not too far away. I love nature and I love my solitude. That would be perfect.

Can you tell us about your next writing project?

Well, the final part of The Eternals, Into Eternity, is about to be released (very soon), but I am always writing. So I have lots on the go. However, I have written many Steampunk shorts and have compiled these into a single story which will be called Britannia Unleashed. I have plans to use the characters from this anthology in all my near-future writings. Foremost amongst these will be a trilogy called The Theatre of the Moon. I have already accumulated close to fifty-thousand words of this Dark Fantasy. Anyone who knows me will know that I never preach about my own writing even the stuff that’s done great, but I can tell you all now, The Theatre of the Moon will be exceptional.

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About Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

My name is Sally Cronin and I am doing what I love.. Writing. Books, short stories, Haiku and blog posts. My previous jobs are only relevant in as much as they have gifted me with a wonderful filing cabinet of memories and experiences which are very useful when putting pen to paper. I move between non-fiction health books and posts and fairy stories, romance and humour. I love variety which is why I called my blog Smorgasbord Invitation and you will find a wide range of subjects. You can find the whole story here.
Find out more at https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/about-me/

Thanks for sharing! In the summer, I write with a view of Lake Erie. It’s poetic to watch the sky and water constantly change colors and mood. I appreciate your love of nature. I also like reading about the 50 word story. That’s one of the good things about twitter- one learns to make good use of words. Do you like Twitter?

Thanks. That sounds another wonderful view to write to.
I try to like Twitter, and know it would probably help me, but I struggle with it in all honesty. I always try to retweet Sally’s stuff but struggle to find others I know.

A lovely author interview, Sally and Richard. Richard’s blog is full of wonderful flash fiction and poems but it doesn’t tell you much, other than what you glean from his writing, about himself. Great to learn a bit more about Richard.

Loved learning more about you, Richard. You feel about cars the way I feel about televisions… I was wondering if any of your characters are based, loosely or directly, on people you know? Keep up the good works.

Thanks, Annette. I suspect at some unconscious level they are, but otherwise no. The two main characters, Jean and Merryweather, are very much like the two opposite sides of my personality, but I’m not sure if that counts.

Another fun interview, Sally, and it’s nice to see shy and private Richard here. Ha ha. I’m so glad there are other projects in the works. I’m excited for the final Eternals book, and glad to know there’s another series in the works. Can you give us a hint about Theater of the Moon?

I’ll tell you this as seen as its you, Diana. The moon goes missing from the sky as young girls go missing from the streets of London. Mortimer Headlock, Albion’s greatest yet damaged investigator is ordered not to take the case by Queen Victoria herself. But he does. The Contessa di D’argento and her Theatre of the Moon are the backdrop to a tale of universal proportions.
And that’s as much as I’m saying 😝

I admire Richard’s short stories skill and exquisite poetry, in fact his stories sound more like poetry! It is nice to hear from him. Thanks Sally and Richard for sharing this interview, I enjoyed reading it.

Lol, most welcome Richard. It seems each of us tends to have our favs where we post and spend our time. That way people’s posts get shared in places they don’t normally expect their work to be shared. 🙂

I think the first was Elric Of Melnibone. I had a habit of reading a lot of Moorcock’s books out of order when young, but not the Elric ones. I loved them. Still do. A good one to read that not many people know of is Gloriana.

Lovely interview, Sally. Nice to learn more about you, Richard. Your “perfect spot” sounds delightful. I fear people would never see me again, either, if I found a spot like that. I can totally relate to this: “if I could write without the distractions of self-promotion (I am inherently shy and private. I don’t find it easy) I could do so much more.” Alas, here we are, private and introverted, out in the blogosphere.
I have the first book in your Eternals series so it’s nice to hear you’re coming out with a third. 🙂 I absolutely LOVE writing and reading short fiction (flash, micro…) and look forward to your compilation Britannia Unleashed. Is that one out yet? Cheers.

Thank you for such kind words, Sarah. I’m really grateful for them. Britannia Unleashed is finished and is just having one last read through by someone else. After that, it’s all systems go. I’m really pleased you love writing so much, it’s a good addiction.